Chino senior pitcher Miranda Viramontes has been selected as the 2014 Softball Player of the Year. Viramontes lead Chino to its third straight CIF title game. (Will Lester/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)
Will Lester—Staff Photogrpaher

Miranda Viramontes Chino, Senior, Pitcher

Chino High School senior pitcher Miranda Viramontes walked off the field at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine trying to hold back the tears. Her team had just succumbed in extra innings to the No. 1 team in the country in the CIF Division 2 championship game. Perhaps it was the loss, or the realization that her high school career was officially over.

Coach Mike Smith waited until the rest of his team was in the dugout before he let his star player walk off. He raised her hand in the air as the Chino crowd gave its pitcher a standing ovation. It was a fitting send off for a player who has been the pivotal force in the Cowboys rise to prominence.

Viramontes’ showing in leading Chino to a championship game for a third straight year has earned her Inland Valley Player of the Year honors. She is a repeat selection, also having earned that honor as a junior.

“It’s nice to think people might think about our softball program because of me,” she said. “It would have been nice to win that last game, but I did everything I could. It was a great game and one I’ll always remember.”

Viramontes ended her career with a sparkling 73-8 record and 602 strikeouts in 535 innings. Ironically Chino coach Mike Smith said her best performance was likely her last - one of the few rare losses.

“Considering the moment and the caliber of the opponent it was probably the best game she has ever pitched for us,” he said. “It’s too bad she didn’t win it but she was on and focused.”

Viramontes, 17, went 25-1 with an 0.28 ERA and 298 strikeouts and 45 walks in 175 innings this season, allowing just seven earned runs in 27 appearances.

And that was just her gaudy pitching totals. She hit .415 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI, the highlight being a run-scoring single in the bottom of the seventh for a 1-0 win over Yucaipa in the CIF quarterfinal.

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In the last two years alone she recorded 11 no-hitters, 12, one-hitters and 26 shutouts. Offensively, she clobbered 27 home runs, most of those the last three years.

With a high school legacy behind her, Viramontes is excited out being challenged at the next level. She signed with the University of Utah, originally making a verbal commitment to that school her sophomore year. She picked that school primarily for its medical program and plans to major in a medical field.

She plans to work on perfecting a rise ball that wasn’t much a part of her arsenal this year.

“I can’t wait to test myself at the next level,” she said. “I know its going to be a lot harder and I am looking forward to the challenge.”

COACH OF THE YEAR: Mike Smith, Chino

Smith is no stranger to winning teams. He had a CIF champion at Chino Hills and won Division 2 titles at Chino in 2012 and 2103. The Cowboys big for a three-peat this year came up just short as the Cowboys lost 1-0 in nine innings to Mission Viejo, the No. 1-ranked team in the country.

What made this run different, and more rewarding, is that Smith did it with a starting lineup that included four freshmen and four sophomores. He was a clear choice as the All-Area Coach of the Year.

“It was definitely rewarding to see how far these girls came. We had to get some good contributions from a lot freshmen,” said Smith, who has led the Chino program since 2007. “I knew it was going to be pretty tough to win it and we came very close. Our goal was to get to the final and we did that despite having a lot of newcomers so it was every bit as rewarding as winning it all.”

While the Cowboys were not challenged in Mt. Baldy league play

Smith, 50, has three CIF titles, two at Chino and one at Chino Hills in 2006. He grew up playing baseball and competed in that sport at Mt. SAC.

He likes coaching girls.

“I think I relate better to them,” he said. “Maybe because I have three daughters that have grown up in sports. The girls are very coachable. A lot of times guys think they know everything.”

McQuillin, a junior who has committed to Arizona, struck out 17 while Viramontes, a senior who has signed with Utah, struck out 15.

Each pitcher gave up just one hit with the one McQuillin gave up coming to Chino’s Amanda Brashear, the first hitter of the game. The hit off Viramontes was by the last batter of the game Kayleen Shafer, whose walk-off single won it.

First team

P Natalie Calderas, Sr., Jurupa Hills

Mountain Valley League MVP led the Spartans to their first CIF title in the sport. Went 26-2 in the circle with 334 strikeouts and an 0.44 ERA in 175 innings, allowing just 11 earned runs. Also a big factor at the plate, hitting .567 with 8 doubles, 1 triple, 11 home runs, 35 runs scored and 49 RBI. Had at least one hit in all but 1 game and had multiple hits 16 times. Signed with Cal State Fullerton.

Patricia Parks

P, Sr., Chino Hills

A four-year All-Sierra League selection and Co-MVP this year with teammate Tannon Snow. Has led her team to at least the CIF semifinals in three of her four years. Went 18-5 with 143 strikeouts and a 1.61 ERA in 135 innings. Four-year pitching career finished 47-12 with a 1.55 ERA and 371 strikeouts in 380 innings. Also hit .397 with 35 RBI this season and hit .420 with 96 RBI in her career. Signed with University of Arizona.

Janell Wheaton

C, Sr., San Dimas

Earned Most Valuable Player honors in the Valle Vista League. Hit a robust .617 (58 for 94) with 10 doubles, 6 triples, 5 home runs, 44 RBI and 12 runs scored. That all made for an on-base percentage of .648 and slugging percentage of 1.010. Made just one error defensively in 216 total chances. Has signed with NCAA champion Florida. Also the Foothill-Citrus Athletic Director’s Scholar-Athlete selection for the Valle Vista League.

Alyssa Gonzalez

INF, Soph., Chino

Played first base and batted out of the No. 4 hole. Earned first-team Mt. Baldy League honors, sparking the Cowboys playoff run to the CIF Division 2 championship game. Hit .398 (39 for 98) with 8 doubles, 2 home runs, 30 RBI and 18 runs scored. Among her clutch hits was a two-run single in extra innings of a 4-1 playoff win against Ayala. Has made verbal commitment to University of Mississippi.

McKenzie Long

INF, Sr., Los Osos

Played second base and batted leadoff for the Baseline League champion Grizzlies, earning league MVP honors. Hit .471 (32 for 68) with 5 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs, 22 RBI and 29 runs scored. Registered a .554 on-base average and a .779 slugging percentage. Among her best games was a 4 for 5 showing against Upland. Was a model of consistency registering a hit in 19 of 23 games played. Signed with Michigan State.

Paige Halstead

INF, Jr., Los Osos

A first-team Baseline League selection who batted a team-high .500 (38 for 76) with 10 doubles, 3 triples, 6 home runs, 35 runs scored and 30 RBI all leading to an on-base percentage of 568 and slugging percentage of .947. The Grizzlies shortstop tallied 13 hits in the last five games of the regular season. Struck out just 4 times all season. Made verbal commitment to UCLA her freshman year.

Tannon Snow

INF, Jr., Chino Hills

A three-year starter and Co-MVP in the Sierra League with teammate Patricia Parks. Played shortstop batted leadoff for the Huskies. Hit .565 (61 for 108) with 22 doubles, 1 triple, 14 home runs, 43 runs scored and 58 RBI for a slugging percentage of 1.176. Her RBI total led CIF (Divisions 1, 2 and 3) while her doubles total broke a CIF record. Has three-year career totals of 38 doubles, 32 home runs, 111 runs scored and 123 RBI. Has committed to University of Washington.

Chloe Melanson

OF, Sr., Bonita

The first-team Hacienda League selection batted a team-high .522 with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 12 home runs, 20 RBI and 27 runs scored, making for an on-base percentage of .556 and a slugging of 1.118. Batted leadoff and helped the Bearcats to a share of the league title. was the team’s most consistent player with at least one hit in every game but one. Has committed to Miami (Ohio).

Madison Paige

OF, Soph., Ontario Christian

Provided the spark for the Knights, who claimed a share of the Ambassador League title. First-team All-league selection hit .477 with 9 doubles, 5 triples, 6 home runs, 41 RBI and 30 runs scored, finishing with a .906 slugging percentage. Had two home runs and 6 RBI in a 10-6 playoff win over Montebello and four hits and 4 RBI in hitting for the cycle in a regular season win over Calvary Murrieta.

Taylon Snow

OF, Fr., Chino Hills

First-team Sierra League selection who anchored the defense in center field. Batted .567 (72 for 127), setting CIF record for hits in a season (72). Also tallied 8 doubles, 2 triples, five home runs, 24 RBI and 39 runs scored for an on-base percentage of .586 and slugging percentage of .779. Had multiple hit games in the last 16 of the season and hit .517 in four playoff games. The CalHi Sports state freshman of the year made verbal commitment to University of Washington.

Sarah Guillen

UT, Sr., Pomona Catholic

Versatile player who excelled in the middle infield positions. Set CIF career records for runs scored (219) and doubles (53) with a second in hits (219), Hit .582 with 16 doubles, 2 triples, 7 home runs, 13 stolen bases and 37 RBI. Walked 21 times helping her to a .664 on-base percentage. Had 3 hits and scored 5 runs in CIF quarterfinal playoff game against Pasadena Poly. Had 18-game hitting streak snapped in CIF semifinal playoff loss. Signed with Azusa Pacific.